Venezuelan Air Force Intercept Of a U.S. EP-3 aircraft Off the Venezuela Coast
US Southcom released videos and pictures on the 21st July showing a Venezuelan Air Force SU-30 Flanker intercepting a US EP-3 whilst is conducted a mission off the Venezuelan Coast.
The EP-3 is a US Navy aircraft that conducts Signals Intelligence (SIGINT).
The first reports of the Venezuelan Air Force intercepting a US aircraft were reported by the Venezuelan Air Force and Venezuelan Air Defences on the 20th July who reported that on the 19th of July a US Navy EP-3 after it had entered Caracas Maiquetia airports FIR zone. A video of the intercept along with a chart detailing what happened was released by the Venezuelan Air Force
Chart released by the Venezuelan Air Force derailing the events that occurred and where the EP-3 was intercepted.
The following day US Southcom released its own video and images of the intercept, saying that a “ Venezuelan Air Force SU-30 Flanker aggressively shadowed a U.S. EP-3 aircraft at an unsafe distance on July 19, jeopardizing the crew & aircraft. The EP-3 was performing a multi-nationally recognized & approved mission in international airspace over the Caribbean Sea.”
A video of the Venezuelan Air Force SU-30 Flanker flying close to the EP-3 was also released
4 images of the SU-30 Flanker were also released from the EP-3s onboard camera showing the SU-30 was ‘wings clean’ and not carrying any missiles at the time of the intercept, the situation was similar to Russian Air Force intercepts of US Reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea.
Additional footage of the intercepts from onboard the EP-3 can be found at https://www.dvidshub.net/search/?q=Venezuela+SU-30+Flanker+Aggressively+Shadows+a+U.S.+EP-3+Aircraft&view=grid